Work

Improving gender equity in academia depends on the workplace environment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The iDiv Female Scientists initiative at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig in Germany was set up to connect women in science and to raise awareness of gender inequity. In this article we discuss the impact of the workplace environment on women in academia. Our experiences indicate that supportive workplace environments are more likely to discuss gender inequity, enabling "bottom-up" approaches where individual researchers can propose solutions to the problem. In contrast, unsupportive environments are less receptive to such discussions, so "top-down" approaches driven by legislation policies are required to improve the situation. We also make recommendations of actions that can be taken by individuals, institutions and policymakers to promote gender equity.

Source: eLife

DOI: 10.7554/elife.105352

Authors: Sreetama Bhadra, Gabriella Damasceno, Daniela Hoss, Alexandra Weyrich

Institutions: German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig University, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research

Language: English

Topic: Career Development and Diversity

Subfield: Safety Research

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,500